Unheralded quarterback Mike Bimonte impresses in Rutgers scrimmage

Rutgers' Mike Bimonte accounted for the offense's only two touchdowns in Saturday's scrimmage. (AP file photo)

PISCATAWAY — A quarterback who has never been between the sidelines on the High Point Solutions Stadium turf looked like the best one on it Saturday.

Head coach Kyle Flood likely won’t gauge much from Rutgers’ first simulated scrimmage, but he’ll have a hard time overlooking junior Mike Bimonte, who finished 6-for-8 for 103 yards and a touchdown in non-red zone drills. He also added a one-yard touchdown run.

“The quarterback who operates and ultimately takes the team down the field and puts it in the end zone,” Flood said, “we’re always going to take that into consideration.”

Bimonte and the rest of Rutgers’ quarterbacks haven’t yet been made available to the media as Flood’s competition at the competition stretches into April. They’ll speak for the first time Tuesday.

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Bimonte, who hasn’t played a snap in two seasons, got the most extended look. His 40-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Carlton Agudosi was a highlight play in a scrimmage that lacked many.

When he committed in 2010, Bimonte was seen as an also-ran after Rutgers lured Gary Nova out of a commitment to Pittsburgh. Nova, who has started 28 career games, completed five of 10 passes Saturday for 40 yards.

“Mike is a very smart football player and somebody who has always been able to go in there and operate for us,” Flood said. “Today I thought he did a good job. When you throw a big touchdown, that kind of stands out more than the other stuff. But I thought he did some good things today. I thought he and Gary both had some good plays.”

It is hard to glean much from the pre-planned scrimmage. Flood made a concerted effort to run the ball, and Rutgers’ run-pass ratio was 36-to-19. Leonte Carroo, Tyler Kroft and Ruhann Peele, the Scarlet Knights’ top returning receivers, all sat out because of injury.

Flood said Bimonte, Nova and redshirt freshman Chris Laviano will continue to work with the first-team offense. Blake Rankin and Devin Ray, part of the five-man competition Flood announced at the end of the season, combined to go 0-for-5 with an interception.

“We have to look at the first six practices in the entirety as a coaching staff and then make those decisions from there,” Flood said.

Flood continues to lament a lack of rhythm caused by such few reps for each quarterback. He figures to weigh offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen’s input heavily.

The longtime Maryland head coach has scrutinized each in practice and from inside the team’s Hale Center facility. Flood hired him in January to bring stability to an offense wrought by inconsistency. The price tag was steep.

Whoever inherits the position must work with a backfield defined by caution.

Desmon Peoples, the lone scholarship running back left Saturday with game experience, carried seven times for 51 yards, including a scrimmage-long 38-yarder.

“The line got a pretty good push,” Peoples said, “and I just followed my fullback (Michael) Burton. And I just hit it.”

Devan Carter, a redshirt freshman, finished with a scrimmage-high 52 yards but on 19 rushes. Justin Goodwin, who left early, rushed four times for 17 yards.

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Rutgers kickers Kyle Federico and Nick Borgese combined to go 1-for-6 on field goal attempts Saturday. A blustery wind and new specialists were culprits.

“I think it was a rough start, and then at the end there was a great situation for us kickers to have the team huddle around and them yelling,” Federico said. I definitely did better kicking in that second part. I just got better from there.” Federico went 12-for-18 on field goal attempts a year ago with a long of 48 yards. Borgese, now on scholarship, replaced Federico in 2012 when Federico suffered a season-ending hip injury.

Long snapper Rob Jones and holder J.T. Tartacoff, a Montgomery High grad, are gone after several seasons of duty. “It’s definitely a little tough,” Federico said.

About the Author

Tyler Barto is a 2013 Rutgers graduate and a Westampton, N.J., native. Reach the author at tbarto@trentonian.com
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